Two elements of Freemasonry which set it apart from virtually all other societies of men are firstly, the mystery within which it is enshrouded and secondly, the secrets which its Brethren gradually become privy to as they progress through the various offices. There is however one other body that is similarly enveloped in mystery as well as being the custodian of numerous secrets: the Magic Circle. Surprisingly there is a much closer link between Freemasonry and the world of magic than most Brethren have realised.
    For example, in the same way that a new initiate takes a solemn obligation never to reveal any part of the secrets of masonry, the new applicant for membership of The Magic Circle actually completes a solemn declaration, not in any way knowingly or intentionally to disclose any secret of magic to anyone unless he be a magician, and to confine the discussion of effects and secrets to Associates or Members of The Magic Circle.
    That Magic Circle document – entitled ‘Declaration by Candidate’ – as well as what the ‘candidate’ has ‘solemnly promised to undertake’ are actually described as an obligation. Moreover the declaration states that, should the candidate ever be found guilty of a breach of his obligation, he will be rendered liable to expulson from the Circle.
    Is the similarity of language and style used by both bodies an indication that, amongst the pioneer membership of The Magic Circle, there were a significant number of Freemasons? The answer seems to be most certainly yes. The Magic Circle was founded in 1905, and within four years, in June 1909, a formal application for the founding of a Magic Circle Lodge was submitted to Grand Lodge.
    Hence the issue of The Magic Circular of that month contained the following announcement:

‘Members of the Society who are already Masons, and also many who intend to become initiates in the mysteries of the ancient and honourable Art of Freemasonry, will be interested to learn that there is a reasonable hope of creating a “Magic Circle Lodge”. A Petition to the Most Worshipful and Grand Master – H.R.H. The Duke of Connaught – has been prepared and signed by a substantial body of our Masonic members. Among the signatories are certain Grand Officers; and altogether, the group of Founders may be described as both representative and influential.’

The Petition was dated 3 June 1909 and carried the recommendation of Lodge of Asaph No. 1319, presumably because of that lodge’s close ties with the theatrical world, and having convinced the Brethren that magic was a form of theatre.

Nevil Maskelyne

Although the group of putative founders really was ‘representative and influential’ it was evidently not influential enough as, despite one of the signatories being the highly revered Nevil Maskelyne, who was a member of the Anglo Colonial Lodge No. 3175, and whose performances of magic and illusion at the Egyptian Hall and at St George’s Hall at the turn of the twentieth century had become world famous, the application ultimately failed.
    The Petition failed despite the strong case put forward by Rev. C. E. L. Wright’s letter accompanying the document, which stated that it was evidently a custom to associate lodges with particular bodies and professions, and that not only were there a further nine existing members wishing to join the lodge if formed, and twenty-two wishing to be initiated into Freemasonry.
    Not surprisingly therefore, the report in the September issue of The Magic Circular noted, with a tinge of bitterness:

We are sorry to announce that the proposed Masonic Lodge in connection with The Magic Circle cannot be founded. Our petition to the M.W. The Grand Master has, unfortunately, been rejected.

The November issue reproduced Grand Lodge’s response of 7 July which read:

Dear Sir and Brother,
    The petition for the proposed ‘Magic Circle Lodge’ has been carefully considered by those Brethren whose duty it is to advise the M.W. Grand Master on such matters, and I regret to inform you that they do not feel able to advise His Royal Highness that the prayer thereof be acceded to.

Sadly the matter ended there, so far as The Magic Circle was concerned.
    Research in Grand Lodge and inspection of the minute books of the Lodge of Asaph have regrettably failed to trace any record of the precise reason why the petition failed. However there was a common belief within the magic fraternity at the time that Grand Lodge believed that a lodge which would only be open to those who were members of The Magic Circle would be too restrictive to warrant approval. If true, it certainly calls into question the formation of the Lodge of Asaph itself, which drew its membership exclusively from actors, theatre pit musicians and others working in the theatre.
    It would be easy to take the view that the July 1909 decision was a little lacking in foresight, the more so since Magic Circle membership today totals around 1,500, of which some 1,000 live in Great Britain. Like most lodges, the Magic Circle members represent a very wide cross section of the populace. Sadly then, The Magic Circle Lodge became the lodge that never was.

The International Brotherhood of Magicians

Did that retrograde decision signal a decline in masonic links with the profession? Far from it, since it is believed that no other profession boasts a greater proportion of Freemasons than that of magicians – even the great Houdini was a Freemason, having been initiated into St Cecile Lodge No. 568 of New York on 17 July 1924. Moreover, it could well have led to a significant masonic presence within the founders of the world’s largest group of magicians, the International Brotherhood of Magicians, which was co-founded in 1922 by a Freemason named Len Vintus and now boasts 14,000 members. It was Vintus who was responsible for the word ‘brotherhood’ in its title, which in turn could explain why the media have come to use the term ‘magic fraternity’.
    Yet another parallel is that, within the world of magic, there is actually an Invisible Lodge. Because it is not chartered, and meetings are specifically confined to major magic conventions, it is not a lodge in the strict sense. It was founded in 1953 by an American professional magician, Brewerton H. Clarke, with the objective of ‘professional, social and fraternal interaction of Freemasons’ and currently has an international membership in excess of 1,500. To become a member, one must be a Master Mason, and there is a formal initiation ceremony called the ‘Magic Wand and Square’. A quarterly newsletter is produced called The Trestle Board.
    It is difficult to talk about the mystique of magic and masonry without the name of Tommy Cooper cropping up. Although he is a well-known member of The Magic Circle it is less well known that he was initiated into Freemasonry in Westminster Lodge, No. 4518, in 1952. That probably inspired him to say to one audience: ‘I joined the Mystic Six last month – it’s so mysterious I still haven’t found the other five!’